The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has frozen the assets of a former Saudi intelligence chief now living in exile in Toronto. Charged at home with having embezzled billions of dollars, Saad Aljabri has luxury properties in several countries, including Canada. Aljabri says the case is “political motivated” by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. [node:read-more:link]
The London-based HSBC bank is being sued by Huawei in a British court for access to documents as part of its effort to prevent deportation by Canada of its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, to the U.S. She was arrested in Vancouver in December 2018 at the request of the U.S., which claims she breached U.S. sanctions against Iran in her dealings with the bank. In apparent retaliation for her arrest, China detained two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, on allegations of espionage. [node:read-more:link]
An Ontario resident has been charged in the U.S. along with three North Koreans with plotting to steal more than $1.3 billion from banks and businesses around the world. U.S. officials say that Ghaleb Alaumary of Mississauga, accused of being the group's money launderer, has agreed to plead guilty. The others are believed to be in North Korea. [node:read-more:link]
An Ontario resident has been charged in the U.S. along with three North Koreans with plotting to steal more than $1.3 billion from banks and businesses around the world. U.S. officials say that Ghaleb Alaumary of Mississauga, accused of being the group's money launderer, has agreed to plead guilty. The others are believed to be in North Korea. [node:read-more:link]
South Korea has agreed to release “part” of nearly $10 billion in Iranian funds blocked by Seoul because of U.S. sanctions. The decision was confirmed by the Central Bank of Iran and South Korea’s ambassador in Tehran. [node:read-more:link]
One of the largest investigations into organized crime in Ontario has collapsed after police intercepted phone calls. Project Sindacato resulted in charges against nine persons alleged to have ties to Italian organized crime but prosecutors stayed charges when defence lawyers raised concerns that investigators committed “significant breaches of solicitor/client privilege.” [node:read-more:link]
A senior British intelligence official says the West risks losing control of economically-critical internet security technologies to nations such as China and Russia. “Significant technology leadership is moving east and causing a conflict of interests and values,” says Jeremy Fleming. Director of the Government Communications Headquarters. [node:read-more:link]
Having declassified an intelligence briefing which concluded that Russian intelligence orchestrated the poisoning of leading opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, the U.S. has announced sanctions. The move mirrors actions taken last fall by Britain and European countries last October and expanded March 1. [node:read-more:link]
The B.C. Supreme Court hearing of a U.S. request for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to be extradicted has been asked to consider evidence her lawyer says will show that the U.S. account of her activities is “manifestly unreliable.” Frank Addario says prosecutors have failed to mention that bank officials whom Meng is accused of defrauding were fully aware of information she is accused of trying to hide. [node:read-more:link]
Draft legislation Iran says is designed to tackle money laundering and terrorism financing is at the heart of a debate in the country’s parliament. President Hassan Rouhani is pushing for approval of two remaining bills which would bring Iran into line with the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental body tasked with devising standards, but more than 200 conservative parliamentarians remain critical. [node:read-more:link]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's last overseas trip before COVID-19 erupted was to Africa, include a stop in Ethiopia which has been second only to Afghanistan in terms of Canadian aid. At the time, the PM praised President Abiy Ahmed’s “leadership” and reforms but his Foreign Affairs Minister, Marc Garneau, now is expressing “deep concern regarding credible reports of human rights violations and abuses.” [node:read-more:link]
B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes has granted detained Huwei executive Meng Wanzhou’s defence team a three-and-a-half month adjournment in her extradition case. The extra time evidently is due to the need to obtain documents from a Hong Kong bank which her lawyers say could affect her U.S.-requested extradition. However, Holmes also has said she would accept no further delays. [node:read-more:link]
Canada today joined with Britain, the European Union and the U.S. in imposing sanctions against four-high ranking Chinese officials and one state entity for the country’s treatment of it Uigher population. “These sanctions underscore Canada’s grave concern,” Global Affairs said in a statement. “Mounting evidence points to systemic, state-led human rights violations.” [node:read-more:link]
Citing “global political turbulence” that has resulted in new western sanctions, Russia and China have called for a UN Security Council meeting. It was issued by their two foreign affairs ministers after talks in Beijing today. [node:read-more:link]
The Canada Revenue Agency has been reporting more than 600,000 Canadian bank accounts to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service in each of the last two years despite the fact that they fall below the mandatory reporting level of US$50,000. The reporting system is designed to address tax evasion. [node:read-more:link]
